Attributes of Adelpha californica

California SisterAdelpha californica (Butler, 1865)

Identification: This is a medium to large sized brown-black colored butterfly with a relatively narrow dorsal forewing postdiscal creamy white colored band above with a relatively large orange patch on the forewing. Superficially similar looking above to Lorquin's Admiral (Limenitis lorquini) but can be readily separated by the lower placement of the orange forewing patch and the blue lines on the ventral surface of the wings. Can be difficult to separate from Bredow's Sister (Adelpha bredowii) which does not occur in the U.S. and the Arizona Sister (Adelpha eulalia) which does occur in the U.S. Ranges of californica and eulalia are not known to overlap in the USA. Generally, this species is smaller than eulalia. It is less violet below. The dark and bluish ventral hindwing postdiscal bands are poorly developed, sinuous. There are two basal orange bars on the HW below while eulalia has only one. The blue bar along outer edge of white HW bar is incomplete while eulalia's is complete. Rounder orange patch above at apex of forewing in californica; eulalia's tends to be narrower and more linear in shape. Dark borders on forewings above in californica narrower than in eulalia. Range alone will separate these species in the U.S., but note Arizona Sister occurs in eastern Mojave Desert mountain ranges in SE California and in much of southern Nevada.

Wing Span: Usually 2.5-4 inches.

Life History: Two or three broods with main flights overlapping from late March into October, adults sometimes lasting into the winter months. Adults often occur and perch on or near hostplants in canyons with water.

Flight:

Caterpillar Hosts: Various oaks, especially Quercus chrysolepis.

Adult Food: Come to mud, water and rotting fruit. Occasionally come to flowers in the fall months.

Habitat: Occurs in foothills and mid-elevation mountains in oak woodland and mixed coniferous forests, often along the edges of woods or in riparian canyons with small streams. Adults stray higher into Canadian and even occasionally Hudsonian Zone.

Range: Most of California (rarely in deserts or Great Basin), southern Oregon and more northern portions of Nevada. Adults will stray into western edges of deserts in California in the fall months to seek water at springs or streams.

Conservation: Not usually required, usually abundant where found.

NCGR: G5. Demonstrably secure globally.

Management Needs: None noted. Common species.

Taxonomy Notes:

Images of Adelpha californica

Note: All images on this web site are copyrighted, and they cannot be copied, reproduced, or used in any way without the author's permission. Usage fees may be charged. Contact the individual photographer for permission.

The map below displays all BAMONA data for this species and has three different data layers:1. All records (yellow dots) 2. Recently verified records (orange dots)* 3. US county records (purple)

There are also three base layers: 1. Satellite 2. Normal 3. Hybrid

How to use the map:Click on the map and move your mouse to pan.Zoom by using the plus [+] and minus [-] on the left side of the map.To change which map layers are displayed, click on the plus sign [+] on the right side of the map and turn on/off the data layers and base layers.

*The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 400 most recently verified sightings of this species. Sometimes, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.

By default, the fifty most recently verified sightings are below. Sort by Observation Date to see the most recent sightings, or filter the sightings by region to get a regional list.

To report technical difficulties or errors, Contact Us.This project is based upon work previously supported by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) Program and the USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center.Primary financial support for this project comes from our advertisers.